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market-farming - Re: market-farming digest: Shelters

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: "Dori Green" <dorigreen00 AT hotmail.com>
  • To: market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: market-farming digest: Shelters
  • Date: Mon, 14 May 2001 09:21:33 -0400


Along with my asthma and multiple chemical sensitivities, my lifelong sun sensitivity has gotten worse with age. For working in the garden my strategies are to move indoors by 10 AM and not go back out until 4 PM, big cotton supershirt that started life as a medieval costume, and sombrero when I'm outside.

Last year I got a 10x20 heavy-duty shelter on sale at K-Mart for $99. Caught it before it made more than 1/4 mile across the neighbor's field on its first trial; big cinder blocks are now part of the ensemble.

I've asked several times at the local Corning market to have a shaded spot; my sun sensitivity is a documented medical condition and my request really should fall under the ADA (reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities). The marketing specialist girls running the market have not seen fit to accommodate me.

I've done a lot of looking around the area for farmer's markets. I've found one 20 miles away with a constructed pole barn shelter and I've secured a permanent spot on the shaded side with a gorgeous view of the lake. With the shelter, I feel that this market is a steal for $15 per week per space and I've got dibs on the spot next to me for expansion later in the season. If the insurance company and health department allow, I'll fill it with a couple of packgoats and my two friendly duck ladies -- the draw should be well worth the extra fee. I plan to put in a display of unusual jams and jellies and homemade soaps at this market -- it's in the main parking lot in Watkins Glen, where tourist buses unload and people from the city wait for the next cruise boat. I'm also growing a LOT of cherry tomatoes for this market for tourist snacks.

I've found another market in a shady downtown park twelve miles away. Still haven't committed to this one because it's likely that I'm going to be working off the farm again soon and they insist on holding this market on Thursdays, but it's still a possibility. On rainy days I'd just stay home but my shelter with cinder blocks should do okay for me at this one.

My shelter is definitely not a one-person project, and I do plan to add an EZ-Up to the collection in the near future.

But y'know, as shelters go there's just hardly anything better than a pole barn pavilion and if a farmer's market is serious, they'll raise the money to build one. <G>

Dori Green
Ash Grove Community Farm & Center for Sustainable Living
Corning, NY 14830

http://www.ic.org/agrove

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